estrada watch

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) told us that Republicans had said that the DC Circuit court didn't need any more judges when Clinton was in office because the case load had declined, and there were plenty to cover it. Now that the caseload has declined even further, and a Republican is in office, that Circuit now needs another judge. He also pointed out that many of Clinton's nominees were anonymously blocked, whereas what the Democrats were presently doing was part of the public record.

For the record, I fully support this filibuster; I've already contacted my Senators to let them know. Partisan bickering over judicial appointments didn't start in 2001, and the Republican cries of "foul" basically don't find a sympathetic ear with me. My sense is that the Democrats are going to emerge from this game of hardball a little stronger, and of course I like that idea. And let's remember the purpose of the Senate WRT judicial appointments is to advise and consent, not rubber-stamp appointees whose submission was itself seen as an overtly political move. If a President's nominee can't garner 60 votes, the President should seriously reconsider submitting that nominee--especially a President who campaigned as a "uniter, not a divider."